call in sick

Idioms  

1. Telephone one's employer or school that one is ill and cannot come to work or attend. For example, Ben called in sick and told his boss he would miss the meeting. [Mid-1900s]

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

call in sick

The paper claims the economy "will suffer a £1bn hit as half a million staff across the nation call in sick after being up all night".

From BBC ● Jul. 5, 2026

In addition, the agency has made it harder for officers to call in sick, said workers and union officials.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 21, 2026

And robots — which don’t call in sick, take bathroom breaks, take vacations or need healthcare — are a huge boon to employers.

From MarketWatch ● Nov. 20, 2025

If they call in sick, miss a shift or cannot pay the fees, they rack up “back rent” — money they owe to the club.

From Seattle Times ● Feb. 27, 2024

The easiest way to get in trouble, everyone said, was to arrive at work late or call in sick too often.

From "Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing" by Ted Conover